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European aerospace giant Airbus has celebrated the maiden test flight of the A330-800. The new widebody, registered F-WTTO (c/n 1888) took to the air for the first time just after 10.30am on November 6 from the manufacturer’s delivery centre in Toulouse. Certification of the A330-800 is expected to take around 300 flight hours, with Airbus management hoping to receive regulatory approval in the second half of 2019. The new jet is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines and boasts Airbus’ new wing and sharklet design.

The larger of the two A330neos, the A330-900, recently completed development testing, with certification awarded for key areas including its engines, systems and cabin, which it shares with the -800 model.

During the four-hour routing over south-western France, the multinational crew of five conducted a range of experimental flight tests, with pilots Malcolm Ridley and Francois Barre seated alongside engineer Ludovic Girard in the cockpit. Monitoring the aircraft systems and performance in real-time from a dedicated flight test engineer’s (FTE) station were Catherine Schneider and Jose Corugedo Bermejo.

The test flight crew on the apron at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse. (Photo: Airbus)

Despite the success of the test flight, the wider project has encountered difficulties. Airbus faced a major setback in March this year when Hawaiian Airlines – the only customer for the new jet at the time – cancelled their order and defected to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. Since then, Kuwait Airways has been confirmed as the A330-800s new launch customer with six orders, while Uganda Airways has a memorandum of understanding for two. As of the end of October, Airbus holds firm orders for 232 aircaft within the A330neo family, of which 224 are for the larger A330-900 type.

Despite a sluggish start, management at Airbus are pinning longer-term hopes on airline’s sticking with a “winning formula” as their earlier generation A330-200s and -300s come to the end of their commercial life cycle. Impressive commonality with older members of the A330 family and over 99% between the -800 and -900 series, means flight crews require only a half-day conversion course as part of their training in order to make the step-up to the latest types.

Airliner World was at the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse for the event, with a full report to follow in the February issue.

Current Issue

February 2019In the February edition of Airliner World we travel to Larnaca in Cyprus to join the final commercial flight for the British Airways Boeing 767 fleet. The widebody has been a workhorse of the British flag carrier for decades, with a fascinating history spanning far-flung royal charters to more modest domestic operations. As we close one chapter of modern aviation, another begins as we visit Airbus headquarters in Toulouse to find out more about their A330neo project. We speak to key players involved in the project and determine what the future holds for the crowded - but highly lucrative - mid-market sector.
Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Gulf Air CEO Krešimir Ku&#269;ko, as the Bahraini national airline transforms not only its fleet but its wider strategy as it adopts a new boutique concept. Continuing our globetrotting this month, we profile Osaka’s Itami Airport, which is carving a niche as the city’s premier domestic gateway and visit Canada’s Northwest Territories to learn more about the classic ‘piston-pounders’ of Buffalo Airways. As part of our ongoing historical insights, we remember the Lockheed Electra L-188, an elegant, four-engine turboprop which raised the bar for performance, range and luxury until critical design flaws destroyed public confidence and forced the programme to a premature close.
Finally, we bring you our comprehensive coverage of worldwide news, including a full report from the Bahrain International Airshow, plus Cathay Pacific roster their A350-1000 to Manchester, ANA receive their first superjumbo, a first look at WestJet’s new Dreamliner, and Air Astana unveil their Embraer E2 in a striking snow leopard livery. We also have our regular sections covering the latest commercial aircraft acquisitions, up-to-date accident reports and developments from the world of aviation training and MROs and we give you the chance to win aviation DVDs worth over £200 in our reader competition.